FIATA wraps up successful World Congress in Cape Town
The world’s experts in the logistics and freight forwarding industry have just concluded their annual international Congress. The five-day FIATA World Congress 2019 was hosted at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, from 1 – 5 October 2019.
Established in 1926, with their headquarters in Switzerland, the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA) is the world’s largest transport and logistics organisation. It represents an industry of approximately 40,000 forwarding and logistics firms and employs approximately 4 million people in 150 countries.
The Congress was opened by outgoing FIATA President Babar Badat, who stated that the event was being used as a platform to ‘reset’ the organisation,to ensure FIATA maintained a high level of relevancy to its members in a rapidly hanging world in logistics.
Badat said FIATA was hard at work in ensuring that the industry and its various elements become more attractive to new entrants, especially young people. To this end, a special day was set aside for the sole purpose of focusing on young entrants to the industry.
SAAFF Chairman Basil Pietersen was nominated unopposed to succeed Badat as FIATA President.
South African Revenue Service (SARS) Commissioner Dr Edward Kieswetter delivered the opening keynote address on Wednesday.
In his address, Kieswetter encouraged the freight forwarding industry - represented in South Africa by SAAFF - to collaborate with revenue collection agencies such as SARS, in terms of increased connectivity by using digital technology, to ultimately achieve economic growth and reduce the high levels of poverty in South Africa.
“SARS remains committed to serve this higher purpose, and we invite all stakeholders to join us in this quest,” Kieswetter said.
In his session titled ‘The future of global logistics and supply chain: Drones and air mobility – potential and challenges’, Professor Wesley Harris, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, said that there is opportunity for change and progress within the logistics sector due to its complex and dynamic nature.
While he acknowledged the challenges that came with the use of drones, he noted that if properly instrumented, the opportunities are plenty, including enormous savings and speedy collection of data with drones that have the appropriate sensors.
“In this day and age you need high quality and high volume data in order to compete within the industry. As an industry association, FIATA needs to be a mechanism for learning and sharing expertise,” Harris said.
FIATA Acting Director General, Stephen Morris, said that the federation would draw from the outcomes of the various panels and discussions held at the Congress, and put to use key issues in an international context for further development and growth of the industry.
The FIATA World Congress 2020 will be hosted by the city of Busan, in South Korea.
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Issued by HWB Communications Pty Ltd on behalf of the International Federation of Freight Forwarders’ Associations.
Editors Notes:
About FIATA:
The International Federation of Freight Forwarders’ Associations (FIATA) is the recognised global organisation representing the interests of the freight and logistics industry worldwide. FIATA, a non-governmental organisation, today represents an industry covering approximately 40,000 forwarding & logistics companies, employing approximately 4 million people in 150 countries.
About SAAFF:
The South African Association of Freight Forwarders (SAAFF), established in 1921, is a national association that is a non-profit organisation governed by a constitution. SAAFF’s mission is to lead strategic initiatives that deliver successful outcomes through service, information, and advocacy. The association is striving to be the leading authority in the freight forwarding industry, achieving local, regional, and international recognition. SAAFF adds value by encouraging integrity, professional conduct, leadership, and delivery of results.
Freight forwarding plays an essential role in international trade and SAAFF members are dedicated to facilitating this activity through their involvement in the management of transportation, customs clearing, documentation, third party payments, and many other elements of international supply chains.
A member of FIATA since 1979, SAAFF derives benefit from FIATA’s international standing, its participation in many trade-related world forums, and its knowledge of international forwarding affairs.
